Public Letter for Zenimax

eserras7b16_ESO

Hello,

My in-game name/account is Eptackt. Today I experienced a lot of frustration and I just wanted to share it with you Zenimax Online Studios, because it may help your project and a lot of players out there. I've been playing since the BETA and excepting three months I've been paying monthly fee. Just saying it because I really expect an answer from you because this matter has bothered me highly.

Maelstrom arena is amazing, and amazingly hard. I'm totally up for that, hard content, takes hours to complete and skill/gear to do so. That's how I've experienced it:

- Yesterday, after 8 hours straight of doing the arena i got to the final boss, but I was so sick that I couldn't really continue, after three tries i had to go to bed. Lost all progress.
- Next morning (5.30am) I go online, reaching 8th arena after only 3 hours, I was so tired that I decided to make a break. I was trying to keep pressing the mouse button to attack so i don't get AFK, but felt sleep (wasn't feeling well still) and i lost all progress again.
- Same morning I wake up later, I decide to restart, but when I get to 5th arena i get a sudden loading screen getting to character screen and when I get in-game again i'm in Craglorn Wayshrine. Lost all progress.
- Same day I keep going getting to the last boss in 3 hours, obviously improving. After 50-75 tries on him i just got a sudden loading screen again, getting to Craglorn again, loosing all the progress again.

I can't keep going on like this, knowing I can suddenly, without reason, loose hours of progress. This was supposed to be my Maelstrom arena weekend, normally I don't have a free weekend like that, as most people do I work and have stuff to do. A weekend that should've been enjoyable was not. Don't get me wrong, I loved the arenas, but can't you guess my frustration after all this? I can't just stop thinking the following: WHY AREN'T WE ABLE TO SAVE PROGRESS.

- Best players will still be on the top.
- Players who can't go for 9h straight will have a chance to enjoy the hardcore content.

I mean it's pretty dumb in my opinion that people has to go 9 hours straight without any rest because 15min AFK and you get disconected how's people supposed to enjoy this. Maelstrom arena is not a Gold Key. And same would go for Trials. Why can't we have progress saved from Monday to Monday? Like only one week? For all the content? Waiting for your answer, I really expect some clever answer because I hope there's a real reason, wich my brain wasn't able to process, I really hope so.

Also, on the 3rd arena there's this plants that pull you. It's all fine except they're in Dragonstar arena and they've been bugged since then. Why are you adding a broken mechanic into new content? Like i'm not even asking for a fix there. Seriously, those plants are pulling you, then you're pulled back sometimes, it has been like this since Veteran Dragonstar arena a long time ago, and you're using them again? May I ask why? Didn't you know this bug existed?

And last, for things affecting Maelstrom arena that is, this stupid bug where, randomly, you're unable to use any abilities for 10 seconds more or less, wich is a secured wipe sometimes when you're doing a good job.



Well the thing wich has more concern to me is the saving the progress part because it would make everything else less noticeable and everything more enjoyable. And I would also ask you something. Would you please teleport me to the last boss even if it's without entering the leaderboards so I can feel I achieved the content? I don't thing I have the nerve to try it again anytime soon, you would make me very happy, because I feel so crushed down right now.

Thank you...

Cogo

Um, no.

eserras7b16_ESO

Cogo wrote: »

Um, no.

Thank you mr. Zenimax

Jura23

Always remember the game shouldn't become your second job. If you don't enjoy something, don't do it.
Personally I don't care about MA, I only wish there would another way to obtain the weapons.

HairyFairy

I agree with this view, with constraints. I feel like perhaps there can be a 'Casual' mode of this arena. (or all things leaderboard worthy)

In the 'Casual' mode, you can still test your time, and scores, but this mode will not put you on the leaderboards.

This way, the more casual players such as yourself, can stroll through this content, have the progress saved, and be able to enjoy it without making all these hardcore players butthurt.

Stonesthrow

I still have the arena from the one try I made on the first day of DLC saved in quest log on Level 6...

I miss something?

EDIT: BESIDES the last 3 levels that is... just never got back in there... too many nodes to harvest!

eserras7b16_ESO

Jura23 wrote: »

Always remember the game shouldn't become your second job. If you don't enjoy something, don't do it.
Personally I don't care about MA, I only wish there would another way to obtain the weapons.

I enjoyed it a lot, it's not like a second job to me. It's just that there should be a way to save progress, most MMO's have this system and I think it's pretty clever, and would avoid these kind of situations. And it's not like I need those weapons, not interested in the gear inside.

blackronin83x

Couldn't agree more with the OP. Have been playing since launch and while i love the concept of MA, the odds of me ever having the time to dedicate for a straight period of time is next to 0%. I have wife, work, and other RL commitments. While I can appreciate the players (some of the being guildies) who blaze the trail, that is just not my situation. I would even accept a leaderboard penalty for using the save. ZOS please continue to build the game for multiple play-styles and life situations. This isn't like DSA when you can be carried by your team. MA is all on the individual player and not everyone has the bandwidth to push through this in one sitting... if you don't get that, well I could make a few guesses about how much free time you have...

Bogdan_Kobzar

OK, so i ain't the only one. it seems there are two ways to do vet MA.
1) playing by the rules, which takes hours
or
2) playing by using the "issues" which will take about 40 minutes to complete.
I choose option
3) don't play either normal or vet MA and this solution requires zero time.

Zouni

Very true. This run takes way too long in one sitting and the thought itself turns me away. Some sort of save feature would be nice.

TiberX

@eserras7b16_ESO couldn't agree more with u. im too lazy to start over again

crowfl56

You do realize you can do the MA in standard mode, not the Vet mode ??????

Sargonious

Poor bloke.

Jitterbug

I hate being sick too

eserras7b16_ESO

crowfl56 wrote: »

You do realize you can do the MA in standard mode, not the Vet mode ??????

Standard mode is super easy didn't you get the part I reached last boss it's not about difficulty is about being able to save progress. I'm able to reach last boss in 3 hours right now it's not like i'm bad or anything. I enjoy the difficulty. This discussion is not about "Go play normal noob" or "It's too hard nerf it" I don't want them to nerf it, not a bit. And it's also about bugs.

Reverb

Stonesthrow wrote: »

I still have the arena from the one try I made on the first day of DLC saved in quest log on Level 6...

I miss something?

EDIT: BESIDES the last 3 levels that is... just never got back in there... too many nodes to harvest!

Normal mode saves your progress, vet mode doesn't.

Gidorick

ugh... This post makes me want to just stay away from the Arena... sounds terrible.

eserras7b16_ESO

Gidorick wrote: »

ugh... This post makes me want to just stay away from the Arena... sounds terrible.

It's good, just imagine you would be able to save progress and do it little by little, during the week, wouldn't it sound better?

Flaminir

Eptackt ... I couldn't agree more!!

And lets be honest here... you have a tail SO large that they could store all the saved game files in there... it would fit!

It's getting a bit bad when they even extend the RNG luck to whether or not the game decides to kick you out at the wrong point!

Arcane_Hexblade

Guys he is speaking obviously about the Vet Mode.

He is not doing it for the ach or the loot he is doing it for the progress and the challenge, but when you play for 3 hours straight to finish the hard content and then suddenly the game kicks you out from the arena and resets your progress it is really frustrating to do all the lvls again just to reach the last boss you were trying so hard to beat.

There should be a save on your progression and then it could reset every time the weekly reward of the leaderboards reset or you could manually reset it with a reset button.

I only did normal mode Arena and i did encounter the bug with the stranglers, they pull you and without the animation of the pull being canceled you are teleported back to your position being unable to move till the animation-time of the pull finishes and ofc the adds attack you all this time.

If this bug was in the game before ( i didn;t know that it was ) then why a) isn't fixed or b) if it is not fixed yet why put this mechanic in a content that is supposed to be competitive and hard.

eserras7b16_ESO

Flaminir wrote: »

Eptackt ... I couldn't agree more!!

And lets be honest here... you have a tail SO large that they could store all the saved game files in there... it would fit!

It's getting a bit bad when they even extend the RNG luck to whether or not the game decides to kick you out at the wrong point!

Indeed, I could give 1% of my tail to Zenimax and they could store all the data in it. That's how simple it would be!!

BRogueNZ

Dear eserras7b16_ESO

Get some damn sleep

Love ZOS

eserras7b16_ESO

BRogueNZ wrote: »

Dear eserras7b16_ESO

Get some damn sleep

Love ZOS

xDDD hey eh.. i slept from 21 to 6.30 the situation is not that bad and since i'm feeling sick i have nothing else to do atleast today so.. ye

Divinius

I haven't had a chance to try MA yet. Does it really take 9 hours to complete? Or is it just that it can take 9 hours, if you don't know what you are doing?

I remember several years ago, FFXI released content with a new boss that had mechanics that could make it incredibly time-consuming to kill (google "Pandemonium Warden"). One group's attempt took them like 18 hours (and they still failed to kill it), and it made the news. People were screaming and crying at the company, saying that forcing people to play for that long to do content was inhumane.

Turns out that the 18-hour group just didn't know (and couldn't figure out) the tactics necessary to kill the boss efficiently. Once you know how to kill it, a solid group could do it in under an hour.

I'm just curious if that's the situation here? Know what you are doing, and finish Vet MA in a reasonable time? Because if it really is impossible to do in less than 9 hours, the types of people that were screaming about Pandemonium Warden, should be screaming about this too...

Stonesthrow

Reverb wrote: »

show previous quotes

Stonesthrow wrote: »

I still have the arena from the one try I made on the first day of DLC saved in quest log on Level 6...

I miss something?

EDIT: BESIDES the last 3 levels that is... just never got back in there... too many nodes to harvest!

Normal mode saves your progress, vet mode doesn't.

Ahhh, thanks!

I liked it, but Vet probably wont be my thing for awhile.

eserras7b16_ESO

Divinius wrote: »

I haven't had a chance to try MA yet. Does it really take 9 hours to complete? Or is it just that it can take 9 hours, if you don't know what you are doing?

I remember several years ago, FFXI released content with a new boss that had mechanics that could make it incredibly time-consuming to kill (google "Pandemonium Warden"). One group's attempt took them like 18 hours (and they still failed to kill it), and it made the news. People were screaming and crying at the company, saying that forcing people to play for that long to do content was inhumane.

Turns out that the 18-hour group just didn't know (and couldn't figure out) the tactics necessary to kill the boss efficiently. Once you know how to kill it, a solid group could do it in under an hour.

I'm just curious if that's the situation here? Know what you are doing, and finish Vet MA in a reasonable time? Because if it really is impossible to do in less than 9 hours, the types of people that were screaming about Pandemonium Warden, should be screaming about this too...

You're right it took 9 hours the 1st time, not knowing tactics or anything. Once i got used now i can probably reach last boss in less than 3 hours, it's still time consuming but not that hardcore. I believe some people are able to do it in 1h 30min. Like some few beasts only but, doable i believe.

Digiman

eserras7b16_ESO wrote: »

show previous quotes

Cogo wrote: »

Um, no.

Thank you mr. Zenimax

You realize the majority of your problems happened because you were to unwell to play the game.

SirAndy

Save progress won't work in an MMO ...

But, they could still track your progress through the arena and spawn you where you logged off last.

Obviously, that won't do you any good if there is a rollback, which seems to happen a LOT lately.


PS: Also, "public letter" on a public forum is redundant.

ArcVelarian

Yeah, it is a little silly. I was nearly done with vet MA one night, but I really had to use the bathroom...

Tholian1

crowfl56 wrote: »

You do realize you can do the MA in standard mode, not the Vet mode ??????

Does the same gear drop in the normal mode?

Reverb

Tholian1 wrote: »

show previous quotes

crowfl56 wrote: »

You do realize you can do the MA in standard mode, not the Vet mode ??????

Does the same gear drop in the normal mode?

No, you only get v15 drops in normal mode, and no chance for maelstrom weapons. Also don't get on the leaderboards for a chance at master's weapons and other legendary rewards.